Monday 06 February 2012

We receive many positive comments, more often verbally but occassionally in a written format.   The following comments are a selection of those comments received by the school in recent months, from both parents and pupils.  If anyone would like to have a comment added, please e-mail the Headmaster at admin@westbourneschool.co.uk and he will arrange for it to be included.  Please note that names of parents and pupils may have been changed or deleted in order to preserve anonymity and/or avoid any potential for embarrassment.

July 15th 2010

Re Senior School celebration evening

Dear Mr Hicks,

 

Just wanted to pass on my congratulations for an excellent Prize Giving event yesterday and, indeed, for the excellent schooling provided by Westbourne School.

 

OFSTED 's verdict on the quality of teaching and pastoral care at Westbourne certainly matches our 'user' experience. Emmy and Holly have both thrived during their time at the school, albeit in very different ways.

 

 Finally, outstanding students performances and OFSTED reports do not occur without effective leadership. I thought this should have been recognised last night. It wasn't, so here it is: Well done! You've done a great job.

 

 

Re Primary School Football Tournament and KS2 Summer Performance

Please pass on our congratulations to those concerned on a very successful day for Westbourne yesterday.

 

The football competition displayed to our neighbouring schools just how talented our young people are both in our players and the pupils who organised it. It ran fluidly and reflected the level of effort put into it by your S10 pupils.

 

As for the show last night - brilliant!  School shows can have a reputation of being boring but definitely not at Westbourne! So much talent spread across the various years. Well done to all!

 

Best Wishes

 

June 2010

We are extremely impressed with our initial impressions of Westbourne, as compared with other independent schools in the area.  We were particularly impressed with the pastoral support and the individualised approach to pupils.

Prospective parents, after their initial visit

May 2010

“I have been at Westbourne since Reception and the thing that I like most about Westbourne is the small classes which enable each student to receive a lot of attention from all of the teachers.  This has not changed or differed in all the time that I have been at Westbourne and it makes you feel really special.

 

I have also had the opportunity to play a lot of sport, which I really enjoy. The ethos and community spirit at Westbourne is excellent as it makes for a very friendly environment. In my current year, Year 11, we were given a variety of responsibilities, for example helping out with the younger pupils at break times in junior school and welcoming parents in the mornings. We were able to earn privileges too and then allowed to go out to the local shopping area in Broomhill for lunch.

 

I have my GCSE exams coming up and I have been given a tremendous amount of help and support with revision and extra work by all of my teachers.  The offer of extra help during our ‘study leave’ period has been really appreciated by all of us.

 

Another thing about Westbourne is that you are given the opportunity to attend holiday trips abroad.  I was lucky enough to go to France when I was in Year 7 and it was fantastic.  There have been sports trips to Barcelona and Malta too, we really are lucky at Westbourne.

 

Current Year 11 student

January 2010

Dear Mrs Fenn

Lauryn Green in Year 6 has been studying The Windrush in English with Mrs Smith. As part of their studies Mrs Smith shared a poem with the class and asked them to write a follow up, which would bring the poem right up to date.
  
 "We are delighted with Lauren’s poem.  I think it is a lovely example of the cultural and social sensitivities Westbourne instils in its pupils:
We are so proud of how Lauryn has grown over the years and we know that Westbourne has played a key role in supporting and encouraging Lauryn in developing her sense of self."

Mrs Green January 2010

LAURYN'S POEM

 "But now we are free, free to be different,
To live a fearless life, without the fear of rejection.
With weight off our shoulders, our children are thankful.
Thankful for friends;
What was once a cold shoulder is now a warm embrace"


Dear Mr Hicks,

 

As Ryan comes into his final term with Westbourne, before starting at Repton School in the Autumn, I feel that I would like to reflect on the time he has spent with your school.

 

Our decision to put Ryan into the school took some time, but each open day we attended, absolutely reassured us that we were making the right choice in sending him, and Caitlin to Westbourne. Ryan's previous school class held 32 pupils, and the thing he remarked on most when choosing Westbourne was the delight in knowing he would be in much smaller classes. This of course, leads to great pupil and teacher relationships. The teacher can spend time with individual pupils, and also recognise a particular quality. This is sometimes missed when classes grow too large.

 

Ryan achieved very high results in his Repton entrance exams, and has made a good impression on the staff he's met. I would like to say thankyou to the staff at Westbourne for the time and effort that they commit to pupils, in equipping them with the skills and behaviours to ensure they go on to lead successful lives. They have certainly played a huge part in ensuring Ryan's future success. I would in particular like to thank Mr Elvidge and Miss Cowley for their support and guidance in all Ryan's sporting activities. They have been a huge influence on Ryan, and I am certain that some of that  assisted in him gaining the football scholarship for his new school.

  

With our very best wishes,

Francine and Peter Binns



 

April 2009

January 2009

Dear Mr Hicks

I have asked each one of my children what it is about Westbourne that they like, my daughter replied straight away that she loves all the extra attention that being in a small class allows her; and the exciting and imaginative ways that her teachers use to help her learn new things.  “I don’t just sit listening Mummy. I can get up and draw on the board, talk about things, and the best thing is that I am never afraid of asking for help if I am stuck”

My son states that he loves all the Science lessons, with all the great equipment.  He falls over himself telling me about all the things he is doing in Design and Technology.  His model club run by Mr Farn, in my sons own words is the ‘coolest, best ever model club’.  He also loves his running, and surprised us all with how well he did in the ‘Westbourne Wheeze’.

 

I am fully aware that this eagerness to learn would not have been possible without your fantastic team of teachers, including yourself.

 

You all have a very special gift in that you really know each child and the way that they think.  It is almost like you can see inside their heads, and then tailor a way of teaching, that fires the child with a real thirst to learn.  It is wonderful to see, and be a recipient of a child who climbs into the car at the end of the day so eager to tell you all the new things they have learnt.

 

Therefore, please can you say a very big thank you to everyone including yourself, for all that you do to make Westbourne a school where children can thrive, because they feel happy, confident, and secure, and wish to learn.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Mrs Eaton

 

 

July 9th 2010